That would be fantastic as it's somthing that's sorely lacking in Inverness (i've often thought it would be a good business idea!). I'm sure it would be very well used - especially in the winter/rainy days.

Things i would look for are:

Number 1: Good coffee!!snacks and healthy foodseparate area for birthday parties would be good - for party games etccomfy chairs/sofas for parents with a selection of newspapers/magazinesgood visibility from ground level so you can check on kids easilynice toilets/changing tablegood variety of 'areas' to suit different agesoutdoor area if possible would make it less weather dependentif there's space a quiet area - with craft stuff/books etc?parking close by

(don't want much me!!)

I guess i'd probably go to somewhere like that up to a couple of times a week (maybe less in summer) if it was up to around £3 entrance per child - probably less if any more than that. And would definitely consider having birthday parties there (am getting pretty sick of aquadome for parties!)

sound like you've beat me to it Angelsus, But I feel really excited at the thought of a decent one opening up. I agree with everything that helpmaboab and Miaou have said - good quality coffee and cake as well as good quality snacks for the children is a must.

Good luck and please keep us posted on how you're getting on - if you need any product testers etc (or business partners maybe?) then just let me know In the meantime I'll try to think on what some of the decent ones have that I've been to "down the road"

There is one at Inshes next to the church but I'm struggling to get info on it at the moment. Also I know that Happit has closed down so I'm sure that'll be coming available soon. I suspect these'll be really expensive though!

hi, I was going to suggest happit, but thought it had been taken over by another company. I think that a few years ago there was a soft play place open at the premises next to the church, don't know if you knew of it???

I had thought that in the estate next to where Tiso opened their big store tehre may have been a space available there, you know where John Major's son had his flooring company?? Can't remember the name of the area - do you know where I mean?

ditto all that has been said. the retail parks would be fab as the bus service are great but inshes is where the bypass is going to be so that old play place building, the church, tescos etc and around about may all be knocked down if it gets the go ahead. i think they are expanding the other retail park soon too so there might be opportunity there. would you be able to hire a place like runaround does? its good there would be good to have something like that here.

hi i know i'm late on this one but just been to Bogbain Farm, v expensive for b.all IMO. Ball pool and soft play area open to weather so was soaking wet and most of the outdoor bikes/ride ons were broken. Adventure barn v steep and only straw for crash mats which was also through ball pool and sandpit.I use runaround in Dingwall occasionally but quite a drive for me and only on 3 days per week. Used well by Dingwall people but i can't believe theres nothing in Inverness. Should be well used especially now aquadome out of action until after christmas, what else can you do when its wet?

hi angelsus, just wondered how you were getting on with this. I drove past the former safeway store at rose street yesterday, it is being made into shop units and I thought it would be an excellent place for a soft play centre.........

Woops, dont know how to delete the last thread. Here is m review of The Fun Zone, which is a new soft play that opened at Westhill Inverness, it was trul awful, disgusting, absolutely!

Awful, dangerous, please avoid if you love your child. We visited this place. When we arrived, there were no staff on the reception at the door which could be opened without locks or anything. The place was full of older children (It was a week day during the day, there was no holiday on), the kids were running wild, it was noisy, there were no seats, 4 kids walked past me wailing in the first half an hour, they had been hit, knocked over and otherwise damaged by other kids. Staff, we saw a few of, but i wandered out and back freely a couple of times out of the main door, nobody on reception, the doors unsecured. Food: 1 cherry tomato, a small spoonful of lettuce and one baked potato which had been stuck in the micro and nuked for a few mins, no nice bakes skin, small spoonful of tuna mayo, very small adult portion, kids food looked wholesome thought, apart from the bit of cake which was added. The place was overrun with big and small kids, too many to know who was where and when, there was no control, we left after half an hour and persuaded a couple with small child not to go in at the car park outside, instead we advised to go to the well run play centre near Forres, which is also new.

I value my kids lifes, I would never ever step foot into this place again, if the kids dont get their head stamped on by another wild kid in this overfilled underfed zoo, then there is a chance your kid can be nicked what with no security whatsoever at the door!

Invernesian, I think there has been a mix-up. You mentioned The Fun Zone at Westhill, Inverness. I thought you had meant another soft play centre which has recently opened in Inverness, which is actually really very good (we were there today for a mumsnet meet-up).

Have you contacted the people at The Fun Zone regarding your bad experience there? I haven't heard anything about The Fun Zone at all - when did it open?

Woops, i meant the play zone, so probably the same one. The thing is, our other friends, one of whom is a doctor at the Raigmore, so reliable witnesses. They had went the week before us, and left early, we didnt speak to them until last night about it, so didnt know that they had walked out just like us on seperate days!

would love to see one in inverness, used to work in the kids kingdome one in the longman. all ideas on page good. if you do open one please give me a call i would love to help you, i have an nvq 3 in childcare so even working in one would be great. chrissy